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member of parliament

As I have said before, today’s Parliament sitting may very well be the very last one for the 13th Term since GE14 is around the corner.

It is very strange to say goodbye to friends and foes, knowing very well that some will be dropped, some are barred, some are retiring and some will lose in GE14. I want to wish all the best of luck and thank everyone for their service to the nation. Opposition MPs who stayed till the very end of today, spontaneously got together and took this last group photo.

Good morning from Parliament. Am having a breakfast meeting with YB Darell Leiking, YB Sim Tong Him and my intern Kevin. We are still talking about the vote event last night. I note many angry comments about the no show of many MPs from the Opposition. In light of the very close vote last night, I can fully understand the extra anger.

We are all adults. We all took an oath to serve the rakyat and Parliament. If MPs decide not to turn up they should be accountable to their own constituents. To be fair, some may have valid excuses for their abscene.

However I am fully aware that people are fed up with the state of politics in Malaysia. Politicians from both sides are failing the expectations of the public. This unhappiness has to do with the lack of transparency of government and the rise of spin politics.

To address this growing unhappiness, it is high time for Parliament to publish a daily attendance list. It is also high time for the vote count to be fully transparent.

Currently MPs are asked by a designated counting agent how they will vote. These votes are then tabulated by block and handwritten on a sheet of paper. The papers of all the blocks are then collated into a final number. We have no access to these papers. Other than your immediate MPs seated next to you, you will not know who voted which way. In the case of yesterday’s vote, the two PAS leaders that abstained sit right in front of me. After every important vote, I get reporters asking me for a detailed list, a list which I have no access to.

Therefore we must reform the voting system. The best way is to read out the name of every MP and ask them to individually state their position. This event should also be televised. If the vote count becomes fully transparently, I am certain attendance of MPs will improve dramatically!

Have you given up on Malaysian politicians? Do you feel both sides are the same? Why do those in power continue to hide their assets?

DON’T GIVE UP!

Come and meet the MPs and ADUNs that have taken the most extraordinary step to declare their assets. Together with INVOKE Malaysia these brave MPs and ADUNs aim to kickstart a movement to eliminate political corruption.

My office welcomes anyone interested in an internship experience. We offer a small stipend that will help with lunch and travel costs, and lots of experience. We encourage those interested to undertake at minimum a one month internship. All interns receive a letter of recommendation upon completion of their internship.

As an intern you will be working with my two permanent staff and assisting them in their day to day duties. This includes, but is not limited to administrative work, following up on cases, assisting with research, and occasionally attending community events. If you have ever wondered what an MP’s office does or what an MP’s role in the community is, this is an opportunity to find out.

If you are interested please send your resume and cover letter to gillian.wongchen@gmail.com.